Shows / The Funeralcast
The Funeralcast
Join some of funeral service's favorite characters as they offer advice to the public, analyze funeral service in the news, and help other professionals navigate current issues.
Episodes
- The Funeralcast
104. What Were You Terrible At?
Send me your questions for an end of year episode. I will answer anything! We all have to start somewhere, and sometimes those beginnings aren't pretty! In…
- The Funeralcast
103. Accessibility in the Prep Room with Grace Lopez
What does accessibility look like in funeral service, especially in the prep room? In this episode of The Funeralcast, I sit down with Grace Lopez, a mortuary…
- The Funeralcast
102. Ben's Favorite Funeralcasts!
Some of Ben's favorite episodes didn't make it to the top ten, but that's okay! Relive some of his most meaningful, educational, and embarrassing moments. Free…
- The Funeralcast
Funeralcast Fastcast 08OCT26
Coming to NFDA? Get your free expo pass here! Booth 1313! Be on The Funeralcast! At NFDA- What were you terrible at when you first started in funeral service?…
- The Funeralcast
101. Top Ten Funeralcast Episodes!
These are the top ten Funeralcat episodes by Spotify rankings and they are awesome! Free NFDA Expo Passes Booth 1313! Email Ben at bschmidt@frigidfluid.com…
- The Funeralcast
100. Hall of Fame Funeral Directing with Andre Dawson
The Funeralcast has hit a milestone, and joing Ben is National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Andre Dawson, who has owned a funeral home for the last 18 years…
- The Funeralcast
99. The Beauty and The Brains with Jaclyn Kleinaitis
Ever wonder what Ben's wife is like? Ever wonder if she actually exists? She does and she is here to share her experiences about life with a funeral director…
- The Funeralcast
Funeralcast Fastcast 28AUG2026
In this Fastcast we have a preview of Funeralcast episode 98. Green Thumb Thanatology with Cole Imperi, episode 99. The Beauty and the Brains with Jaclyn…
- The Funeralcast
98. Green Thumb Thanatology with Cole Imperi
Cole Imperi has had a big influence on Thanatology by founding the School of American Thanatology, identifying non-clincal terms like "shadow loss", and…
- The Funeralcast
97. Postmortem DNA Recovery with Kimberly Garrett
Kimberly Garrett is the founder of Anytime Mobile DNA in Los Angeles, a business that usually serves the living until she started to get calls to recover DNA…
- The Funeralcast
96. Death’s Apprentice with Christa Ovenell
Christa Ovenell left a high-profile position as the Principal at Canada’s largest international college to become a funeral director at the age of 50. She is…
- The Funeralcast
Funeralcast Fastcast 16JUL2026
On this episode: Ethical AI Memorialization with Liminal Touch Death's Apprentice "What's your bold predicition for funeral service?" Fluid Forum on August…
- The Funeralcast
95. Ethical Digital Memorialization with Liminal Touch
More people are blistering at the idea of AI usage, especially when it comes to memorializing someone they lost. The co-founders of Liminal Touch, offer what…
- The Funeralcast
94. What is Promession? with Peter Mäsak
Promession is a little known method of disposition developed in Sweden. Ben is joined by Peter Masak, husband of the founder of Promessa to explain the method…
- The Funeralcast
Funeralcast Fastcast 17JUN2026
On this episode, I am joined by Frigid President and CEO to discuss current and upcoming episodes, say goodbye to two funeral service giants, and ask Brian an…
- The Funeralcast
93. Scattering the Friendly Skies with Cremation Air
Scattering cremated remains from an airplane is not new, but Patrick Kane and Andrew Czachor have created a new level of diginity and accountability for the…
- The Funeralcast
92. Cremation turns 150! with Barbara Kemmis
This year marks 150 years since Dr. Francis Julius LeMoyne cremated Baron De Palm in Washington, PA. It has come a long way since then to become the number one…
- The Funeralcast
Funeralcast Fastcast 23MAY2026
Think I missed something? Email me at bschmidt@frigidfluid.com.
- The Funeralcast
91. Graceful Arrangements with Effie Anolik
When Effie's dad died in 2018, she had no idea what to do other than Google "how to plan a funeral." Her journey led her to start Afterword a company that has…
- The Funeralcast
90. Tending to Your Headstone with Artem Manilov
Did you know there is an Uber-style app for headstone restornation and repair? Us either! Ben interviews Artem Manilov founder of the the Tending app that…
- The Funeralcast
Funeralcast Fastcast 22APR2026
On this episode; a preview of current and upcoming Funeralcast interviews, hot takes on celebrity death doulas and the future of mortuary schools plus find out…
- The Funeralcast
89. Cradle of Coaches with The Mazzarella Family
Hearses are a signature symbol of funeral service. Ben is joined by the Mazzarella Family to discuss the birth and evolution of the hearse in Ohio, also known…
- The Funeralcast
Funeralcast Fastcast 09APR2026
In this first epidsode of The Funeralcast Fastcast, we spotlight a powerful conversation on the history of Black funeral directing with Professor Edwin…
- The Funeralcast
88. The History of Black Funeral Directors with Edwin Jackson
Edwin Jackson is a licensed funeral director and professor who has been working to better all of our understanding of the contribution that African American…
- The Funeralcast
87. FDOTY 2025 with Sam James
Ever wonder how someone becomes Funeral Director of the Year? Us too! Ben sits down with Sam James, owner of James Funeral Home in Huntersville, NC who also…
- The Funeralcast
86. Modern Mummification with Summum
Modern mummification is very rare but very possible. The members of the Summum religious philosophy have a plan and procedure in place for members of their…
- The Funeralcast
85. Dissecting DABDA with Dr. Jason Troyer
You are probably familiar with the Five Stages of Grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance (DABDA) because they are so incepted into our…
The Funeralcast84. Mortuary School Curriculum with Jzyk Ennis
There are lots of strong opinions about mortuary school curriculums, many of which are based on misunderstanding or misinterpetations of what actually goes on…
The Funeralcast83. The Funeral Meme Pages Part 2- @funeral.memes @the_funeral_channel @jerryspringerfuneralhome
The fun continues with more Instagram funeral meme pages! In part two of the series we have @funeral.memes, @the_funeral_channel and @jerryspringerfuneralhome…
The Funeralcast82. The Funeral Meme Pages Part 1- @thefunerallife and @opencasketculture
Funeral service can be fun, and some of the best ways to have fun on the Internet is with memes! In part one of this two part series, I have two of Instagram’s…
The Funeralcast81. Best of The Funeralcast 2025!
2025 was the best year for The Funeralcast so far. We tackled tough subjects like suicide and the mental health of funeral directors, got well informed on…
The Funeralcast80. Honoring and Evolving with Walker Posey
Walker Posey is a fourth-generation funeral director but as the owner of Posey Funeral Directors, he doesn’t take his long-standing relationship with the…
The Funeralcast79. What Would You Do With Your Free Booth?
This year, Ben asked every at one at The National Funeral Directors Association's Convention and Expo "what would you do if NFDA gave you a free booth?" Enjoy…
The Funeralcast78. Funeral Women Lead with Lisa Baue
Please rate and review this show wherever you get your podcasts! Lisa Baue is a former CEO and funeral home owner who through a series of lief events detailed…
The Funeralcast77. The Barber Surgeons with Todd Hara
The barber surgeons were an interesting chapter in medical and funeral history. The idea of surgeons who learned the job instead of going to school nowadays is…
- The Funeralcast
76. What is an End-of- Life Doula? with Ashley Johnson
End- of –Life Doulas (aka Death Doulas) are a growing group in end-of-life care. Ashley Johnson is the President of the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance and…
The Funeralcast75. Prion Diseases and Funeral Service with The Prion Center
Prion diseases and how to handle people’s deceased loved ones who have them is a difficult and misunderstood topic in funeral service and in medicine in…
The Funeralcast74. Suicide and Funeral Service with Dr. Sara Murphy
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and in an effort to raise awareness in how it affects both funeral service professionals and the families they…
The Funeralcast73. Maintaining Your Mental Health in Funeral Service with Jade Dacus
Please be sure to rate and review the show! Mental health is such an important topic in funeral service, and everyone seems to be talking about it. Jade Dacus…
The Funeralcast72. Funeral Service; What Does It Mean To You? with Dylan Stopher
It’s time again for Texas Emerging Leaders University! One of this year’s speakers is Dylan Stopher, who’s presentation “What Does It Mean To You?” is an…
- The Funeralcast
(Bonus) Online Mortuary School- Just the Students
In The Funeralcast Episode 69. Online Mortuary School with Rebecca Gardner, three students reflect on their experience with mortuary school online and share…
The Funeralcast71. What is Alkaline Hydrolysis? with Ryan Cattoni
Alkaline Hydrolysis is a dispostion you may have heard of but are not familiar with. Ryan Cattoni at the age of 23 years old brought alkaline hydrolysis as a…
The Funeralcast70. One Positive Change in Funeral Service
Over the summer, Ben made the speaker circuit and along the way he asked funeral directors in Indiana, Texas, and West Virginia what one positive change they…
The Funeralcast69. Online Mortuary School with Rebecca Gardner
There’s a debate about online mortuary schools and their ability to produce capable funeral directors. Ben speaks with Rebecca Gardner, the program director at…
The Funeralcast68. Researching Women and Funeral Service with Dr. Lucia Dickinson
In 2023, 74% mortuary school graduates were women, and that number holds steady today. Dr. Lucia Dickinson did her dissertation on the experiences of ten women…
The Funeralcast67. How to Place Unclaimed Cremated Remains with Lanae Strovers
Lanae Strovers is a funeral director and the trainer for the National Funeral Director’s Association. One of her most important professional missions is to…
The Funeralcast66. Dover Port Mortuary Affairs with Danielle Wilk
Danielle Wilk is the Port Mortuary Branch Chief at Dover AFB base, place where fallen US service members go to be cared for. Be sure to rate and review this…
The Funeralcast65. Checking In with the Moms
Happy Mother's Day to all the moms in funeral service!!! On Episodes 28 and 29 of The Funeralcast, Amanda King and Eileen Hollis share the challenges and joys…
The Funeralcast64. Seth Learns About Funeral Service (Part 1)
Seth Holmes is new to funeral service! In December he took the role as the Midwest Territory and Sales Manager. He is no stranger to good customer service and…
The Funeralcast63. The Resurrectionists with Todd Hara
Donating your body to science these days is a simple and legal process, and we applaud those who do it to advance science. But it wasn’t always that way…
The Funeralcast62. Human Trafficking Awareness with Katie Boller Gosewisch
One doesn’t typically connect funeral service and human trafficking awareness, but there’s more of an overlap than you might think. Ben is joined by Katie…
The Funeralcast61. Children and Grief with Amanda and Michaelene
Helping grieving children is a tough subject. Ben is joined by two funeral directors who are educating the funeral service community and grieving families to…
The Funeralcast60. Mortuary Confidential with Todd Harra
Todd Harra is an accomplished author, funeral director and calendar model. He joins Ben to discuss his pathway as a writer in both fiction and non-fiction…
The Funeralcast59. The NBE Reviewers
The National Board Exam (NBE) is a test that funeral service professionals have to take in order to be licensed, but it's not easy for everyone to do, even…
- The Funeralcast
58. Jewish Ceremonies with Sara Kleinman Blau
READ THIS TO FIND OUT HOW TO GET YOUR CERTIFIED FUNERAL SERVICE PROFESSIONAL EXTRA CREDIT!!! There’s something special about this episode, it's the first time…
- The Funeralcast
Bonus Episode! Frigid Talks with Nelson Sanchez and Damon de la Cruz
No Ben this time but that’s okay! We have the audio from Frigid Talks our YouTube Series. You can watch this video and other educational videos including usage…
The Funeralcast57. Peer Support with Michael Dixon
Funeral service can be a difficult and sometimes lonely job. However, help from your community is available through the services provided by Funeral…
The Funeralcast56. Diversity in Deathcare with Joél Maldonado
Being able to serve families from all types of backgrounds and ancestries should be at the top of a deathcare professional's mind because you never know who is…
- The Funeralcast
Happy Holidays From Friends of The Funeralcast
Want to give your favorite podcast host a gift this year? Be sure to rate and review this show wherever you get your podcasts! The holidays can be quite a…
- The Funeralcast
55. Two Floors Above Grief with Kevin O'Connor
Kevin O’Connor is a former educator turned author and grief navigator who grew up above a funeral home. His book Two Floors Above Grief documents his life and…